Lenses having extended depths of field are known. However, techniques for designing lenses configured to provide such depths of field are limited. Typically, the depth of focus is controlled by controlling the working f-number of the lens system. Optical systems with larger F/No's will have larger depths of focus. Optical design software, such as Zemax available from ZEMAX® Development Corporation, Bellevue, Wash. or Code V available from Optical Research Associate, Pasadena, Calif., provides features that are known to be useful in the design of lenses having extended depths of field. For example, a merit function specifying a lens's target modulation transfer function (MTF) at multiple locations along the lens's optical axis and proximate to the image plane (i.e., along a distance corresponding to the lens's depth of field) can be used to optimize the lens's optical parameters (e.g., radii of curvature, index of refraction, optical surface aspheric terms and thicknesses) to achieve a modest extended depth of field. However, such features have been found to have limited usefulness for designing lenses having extended depths of field, particularly when control of a geometrical optics quality of the lens (e.g., caustic) is desired such as when designing lenses that are relatively highly aberrated.